


Cecil Palmer: A Life

by Klance_Convert



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Character Study, M/M, OC, biography
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-03 16:14:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8720356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Klance_Convert/pseuds/Klance_Convert
Summary: A biography of Cecil's life, from childhood to adult.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I had to write a biography for a character in my Poetry and Fiction class, so of course I chose Cecil. Most information is canon, though some details have been made up to fill in the gaps of his life. Not an original story, but great if you want to introduce a friend to the wonderful weird world that is Night Vale.

Cecil was born in the friendly desert community of Night Vale, where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful, and mysterious lights pass overhead while everyone pretends to sleep. It is presumed to exist in the Southwest corner of the United States, although the town does not exist on any federally approved map. Granted, places like Hollywood do not show up on any Night Vale City Council approved map, so most likely it’s due to the lack of working physics in Night Vale. It is a place that is difficult to find. But, once found, it is just as difficult to leave. To the outside world, Night Vale can seem like a very strange place. But of course, it is perfectly normal. Any citizen would tell you so, including the Faceless Old Woman who secretly lives in your home. Even the all mighty Glow Cloud (all hail) finds it a worthy place to settle down. It is Cecil’s hometown, and he has never lived anywhere else.  
Cecil was born to Trisha and David Palmer. On his birth certificate it says he was born on January 28, but where the year is supposed to be has been replaced with a dark brown smudge. He aged from adolescent to adult, but is known to exist before Night Vale did, so his age is determined more by physical development, rather than actual time. His father died a year later, leaving behind his wife and two children.  
When Cecil was five, the town prophecies (told annually by the City Council by interpreting the colors coming from the Void) foretold that he would take over the community radio station in his adulthood. This started his enthusiasm with radio, and received his Little Reporter’s Book of Big Boy Note Taking. He was part of the Night Vale Boy Scouts since age ten, earning badges such as Advanced Siege-Breaking Tactics and Subversive Radio Host. He began to work as an intern at Night Vale Community Radio when he was 15 years, under the late host Leonard Burton. At this time, his mother gave him a tape recorder as practice for his future career. His mother, after his internship started, began to regularly hide from him, a gesture he interpreted as pride for his work. A few months later, Trisha Palmer abandoned her two children, leaving Cecil in the care of his older sister, who had dropped out of college to take care of him. The changed dynamics put a strain on their relationship. Abby was stuck caring for her kid brother, putting the rest of her life on hold. Cecil was being taken care of by his sister, who he felt was a poor replacement of their mother.  
Cecil was a student at Night Vale High, taking part in the theater program and playing the part of Pippin the school’s production of South Pacific. After graduation, he took a trip to Europe, touring popular countries such as Svitz, Fanchia, and Luftnarp. He continued to intern at NVCR for several years, covering major stories including the forming of Night Vale, the invention of radio, and the boom of the 1930’s. He became full time host of NVCR towards the beginning of World War II after Leonard Burton retired to help him understand what a family was.  
After being gone for over a decade, Cecil’s mother returned to Night Vale, begging for the forgiveness of her disappearance from her children. Said children were hesitant at first to communicate with her. However, they saw that their mother was not well, as she contracted an unusually dangerous case of throat spiders. Cecil and his sister did talk to her, and found closure with Trisha, and each other. Soon after, Trisha Palmer passed away.  
Several years later, after the birth of Cecil’s niece, Janice, and the divorce of Abby and her first husband Logan Lloyd, Abby was remarried to Steve Carlsburg. Logan, of course, was swallowed by the worms out in the Sandwastes mandated by the City Council following the divorce, as is custom. Between the time of Logan and Steve, Cecil represented the father figure in Janice’s life. He even joined the Night Vale PTA, in order to push for better wheelchair ramps into the school so Janice (who was born unable to walk) and other kids could access the school while handicapped. Cecil did not meet Steve until the wedding, where he first thought of him as a kind and genuine person. But then Steve mentioned the Vague, Yet Menacing Government Agency, and spoke of forbidden knowledge of the group. Cecil became concerned over Steve’s idiocy of saying such things aloud, and was enraged at the thought of him teaching these lies to Janice, putting her in danger. He attempted to object during the ceremony, but his sister talked him down. Since then, he didn’t trust Steve, and would often rant about him on the air for his other continued offenses. These included but were not limited to: never changing the hubcaps on his Toyota Corolla, having a chronic gambling and sports addiction, having an idiotic taste in shoes, barging in on Cecil’s show uninvited to promote conspiracy theories about the government, and doing terrible impressions, including one that makes Cecil’s eventual boyfriend, Carlos, sound like a munchkin from The Wizard of Oz.  
Carlos, a non-native to Night Vale, worked for the University of What It Is, before taking a sabbatical to study the fantastical rumors of a town out in the desert. Instead, he ended up in the lovely little town that is Night Vale, which he called, “the most scientifically fascinating community in the U.S.” Cecil first met Carlos at a press conference, where he claims he “fell in love instantly”. Cecil was intense in his expressions of affection, often displaying his feelings over the airways. He would spend entire segments of the show swooning over Carlos’ oaky voice, dark and delicate skin, and most of all, his glorious, long black locks. He even set the town on the local barber after he gave Carlos a bad haircut, calling him a traitor to society. Carlos was at first put off by Cecil’s waterfall of emotions, attempting to keep their relationship fixated on keeping Night Vale safe via science, and strictly platonic. However, after his near death experience with the tiny people of the Underground City at the Desert Flower Bowling Alley and Arcade Fun Complex, he realized his true feelings, and expressed them towards Cecil (who proceeded to delightedly share with his radio audience). They went out on their first date the month following, and moved in together after another one of Carlos’ near death experiences, this time nearly getting swallowed by a giant cube that was supposed to be their new condominium.  
At this time StrexCorp, a nearby “friendly” business based in Night Vale’s rival town Desert Bluffs, purchased NVCR from the original owners. They began to place censorship programs and mandated stories on Cecil’s program. They also began buying up other stores in town, and only paying their employees in scrip, drawing business away from non-Strexcorp owned companies. Cecil attempted to undermine his management’s authority, staging an unsuccessful overthrow of the malevolent corporation. He was taken into the capture of StrexCorp at the indefinite company picnic, while his program was taken over by his program director, Lauren Mallard, and his Desert Bluffs double, Kevin. With the help of beings that are definitely not angels (just a bunch of tall winged creatures named Erika) he was able to escape, and lead Night Vale to a this time successful overthrow of Strex.  
Unfortunately, in this process, Carlos became trapped in a Desert Otherworld, spending over a year studying it using science. He and Cecil were able to communicate, but Cecil disliked the long distance format. In the meantime, he also grew increasingly irritated at being controlled against his will to protect his friend Mayor Dana Cardinal, whom he believed was the culprit. After discovering the way in and out of the Desert Otherworld was the Night Vale Dog Park, Carlos tried to convince Cecil to move there, and with how Cecil was feeling about his town, Cecil agreed. However, he had a change of heart, as Carlos moved back to Night Vale and told him they’re staying there. They continued to be long-term boyfriends for some time.  
Cecil continues to be Night Vale’s voice, living out his life surrounded by his loved ones, and the support of his audience. He brings Night Vale together in the time of need, wakes them up when their asleep, alerts them of the bad and celebrates the good. He’s not perfect- nobody's perfect, only perfectly imperfect. But he loves his job, loves his community, and they love him back for it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Follow me on tumblr: @klance-convert


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